Steve Earle knows how to make records. But on Townes, he wanted to focus strictly on the way he performed the songs.

In his New York apartment, Earle wanted to cover songs by his late mentor Townes Van Zandt as he remembered Van Zandt playing them in Houston decades ago. To do this, he needed an engineer.

A series of Houston connections put him in touch with Steve Christensen, a senior staff engineer at the local SugarHill Recording Studio.

Earle called and asked when Christensen was available. Christensen said in three weeks. Earle said he wanted him the next day. “The next thing I know I'm on a plane to New York,” Christensen says. “And 36 hours later I'm recording Pancho and Lefty in his living room.”

The album is up for a Grammy Award tonight in the best contemporary folk album category. With the notable exception of Beyoncé, who earned numerous nominations, it's one of just a few nominated recordings with Houston ties.

“He wanted to get the performances as close to how he remembered Townes doing them,” Christensen says. “He had a clear idea of how those songs were played back when he first heard them. Steve's used to recording with an ensemble, but this time he wanted to approach recording it live. He wanted to concentrate as much as possible on the vibe and not be distracted by other players. That vibe was really important to him.”

Townesis the second album Christensen has worked on that has earned a Grammy nomination; he was also involved in Ann-Margret'sGod Is Love: The Gospel Sessions, nominated in 2001.

Christensen says recent days have been “a fast-paced blur.” He's mixing a record for singer-songwriter Tim Easton (who passes through Houston on Feb. 6 for a performance and an art show), as well as one for Gourds' singer/mandolinist Kevin Russell. He also cites two recordings he's worked on by Houston acts News on the March and Elaine Greer that he's excited about.

Christensen started working at the studio as an intern in 1998 and was hired a year later. He's done sound for Destiny's Child on tour, and also worked on recordings by numerous local bands.

“I'm getting a chance to be creative every day of my life,” he says. “It's pretty awesome. It's a lifestyle choice, not a job.”